Colette Cox
Director of the Center for Rural Development
Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
Colette Cox, MBA, CEcD, is the Director of the Center for Rural Development at the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. She works with rural counties, communities, and businesses across Utah to connect them with economic development resources that support job creation, infrastructure investment, and long-term economic prosperity. Cox has nearly two decades of experience in economic development, workforce development, and chamber leadership, and has helped secure millions of dollars in funding for rural business expansion and community development initiatives.
Session(s):
Utah’s Rural Economic Blueprint: A Framework for Local Economic Development »
APA Utah 2026 Spring Conference: Bryce Canyon, April 10, 2026 10:30 amUtah’s Rural Economic Blueprint Program, led by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity Center for Rural Development, launched as a pilot in 2025 and is now a permanent initiative supporting rural communities across the state. This session will highlight how the program helps communities develop locally driven economic development strategies, share lessons learned from the first year, and provide an overview of communities participating in the 2025–2026 cohorts.
= Keynote
